Volunteers help improve trails in the Jones Creek motorized trail system at a work party earlier this year. Photo: DNR

Do you like to ride off road on DNR-managed lands? Are you interested in helping improve and maintain these areas?

Over the next couple of weeks, DNR and partners are sponsoring work parties in western Washington. Maybe one of them is in your favorite riding place. Here’s the lowdown:

What: Jones Creek ORV Trailhead Trail Repair
When: Saturday, January 28 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Meeting place: Jones Creek Trailhead (Directions)
Details: Join volunteers from the Jones Creek Trailriders Association (JCTRA) to help harden and re-contour OHV trail surfaces, create and repair water bars and drip drains, clear brush, haul and position gravel and blocks. Bring work gloves, water, lunch and dress appropriately.
Contact: Laura Friese, 360-751-1334

What: Capitol State Forest ORV Work Party – Mount Molly Porter #3 Trail
When: Saturday, January 28 – Sunday, January 29 | Starts at 9 a.m. Saturday and ends at 1 p.m. Sunday
Meeting place: Tacoma Trail Cruisers property | 9201 Sherman Valley Rd., Olympia (Map)
Details: Join volunteers from the Tacoma Trail Cruisers to help drain puddles and clear out clogged culverts on the Mount Molly Porter #3 trail around Larch Mountain. Bring shovels, grub hoes, and work gloves. Dress appropriately for the weather.
Contact: Nick Cronquist, 360-480-2700

What: Bradley Trails Trail Maintenance Work Party
When: February 4 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Meeting place: Bradley Hills Trailhead (Directions)
Details: Join volunteers from Dirt Church ATV to reshape a section of trail between the two bridges and do some trail hardening with rock  around MP 2. Bring lunch, water, rain gear and gloves. 
Contact: Nick Cronquist, 360-480-2700

All of these work parties are eligible for a voucher towards a complimentary Discover Pass.

For more volunteer opportunities, check out our volunteer calendar. 

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Maybe you don’t have a heavy duty chipper like the one in this photo, but there are many alternatives to burning downed tree limbs and branches..

Does your yard resemble a ‘war zone’ of downed trees and limbs after the recent storms? Other than burning, learn what else you can do with this yard waste.

Outdoor residential burning of all kinds is illegal in most parts of the state and is a leading cause of wildfire ignitions. And please get rid of your burn barrel if you have one – they are illegal in Washington.

Before burning yard waste, think about alternatives to burning, such as chipping and composting. This is an easy, practical approach for disposing of many organic materials.

If you have to burn, know the rules first, and choose the right weather for burning. Generally, cloudy days are favorable because the air tends to be unstable and generates enough wind to disperse the smoke and avoid causing smoke disturbances.

Also, outdoor residential burning is a leading cause of smoke and certain pollutants. This smoke can be unhealthy, because the small particles in smoke are so tiny they can easily get into your lungs. People most at risk are children, patients with respiratory illnesses, and adults over 65 years old.

Air quality burn bans may be in effect. Visit the Department of Ecology’s air quality website to find your local clean air agency for burn ban information.

Do you have an overgrown tree or one that presents problems? Remember to use proper pruning techniques, and whatever you do, please don’t top those trees. Doing so will cause extra maintenance and safety problems in the future.

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Forest biomass at a timber harvest on state trust lands. Photo: DNR

At auction today, DNR sold the first biomass offering from state trust lands. The sale is 8,700 tons of material from slash piles that were the result of several past timber harvests on trust lands on the Olympic Peninsula. The material is already piled close to a road and will be easy to access.

DNR is a leader in Washington’s sustainable forest biomass sector. With two biomass pilot projects now up and running and now the first successful sale of biomass from state trust lands, we are seeing Commissioner Peter Goldmark’s vision of a sustainable residual forest biomass sector in the state come to fruition.

DNR has worked to ensure sustainability in this emerging sector since the Biomass Initiative’s inception. Our efforts include studying sustainable supply volumes and ensuring that Forest Practices Rules are adequate to protect public resources where biomass is removed. DNR continues its efforts to support a forest biomass sector that will improve forest health, create green jobs in rural communities, and produce renewable energy.

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This ‘snippit’ captured from KING 5 News online footage shows Mima Mounds NAP in the snow. Image: KING 5 TV

In this KING 5 news footage of January 24, snow drifts on the Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve landscape show off the contours of this mysterious geological feature. Most importantly, this grassland prairie is part of only three percent left of the original Westside prairie landscape. DNR is holding a public hearing tonight January 25, 2012, on the proposed expansion of the boundary of Mima Mounds NAP.

Come, offer your thoughts.

See the extended KING 5 flyover footage of Mima Mounds preserve.

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The gypsy moth caterpillar is a serious threat to many species of trees and shrubs in Washington State.

What would it be like to be in the midst of a forest caterpillar outbreak? Your senses are filled with the sounds of millions of caterpillars crunching leaves; the heat of sunlight descending through trees whose shading leaves have been consumed; the squeamish sight of tattered leaf remnants and branches covered with moving larvae; the smell of injured leaves and caterpillar poop; maybe even the sting of irritated skin or a rash from exposure to broken caterpillar hairs.

This is what people in Washington would regularly face if the gypsy moth were allowed to successfully establish populations and reproduce here. And when people couldn’t tolerate that discomfort, there’d be plenty of pesticides purchased and applied to control this menace on both public and private land.

Washington has enough trouble with periodic outbreaks of our native tent caterpillars, budworms, and tussock moths. We don’t need another pest, especially one with no natural enemies, a broad appetite for hundreds of species of trees and shrubs, and hairy larvae that cause skin rashes and respiratory problems in sensitive people.

Each year, the Washington State Department of Agriculture runs an efficient trapping program using colorful, paper triangle traps to catch and detect new introductions of gypsy moths in Washington State. The next few months are the time for them to safely and effectively eradicate populations of gypsy moth that were found last summer at two sites: Puyallup’s South Hill Mall and Eatonville. The numbers of moths observed in these areas indicate that it’s likely these populations will be able to persist and multiply.   

The Department of Agriculture has successfully eradicated more than 80 infestations of gypsy moth in the past 38 years since the first gypsy moths were detected in Washington. This year, they will need to apply 3 to 5 treatments of the bacterial insecticide B.t.k. to approximately 56 total acres. Every consideration is being made to ensure local people are well-informed and that any safety concerns are addressed.

Please do your part to keep gypsy moths out of Washington by understanding this situation, supporting the proposed 2012 gypsy moth eradication treatments, and cooperating with continuing pest detection efforts that protect Washington.

As an advocate for healthy forests in Washington State, DNR is a determined, fervent, and enthusiastic supporter of the actions needed to safely and effectively eradicate gypsy moth.

For more information about this proposal or other invasive insect prevention programs, visit the Department of Agriculture’s website or phone them at 1-800-443-6684. The Department will hold open house meetings in February to describe the gypsy moth eradication project proposals to local residents and others who are intersted and answer any questions.

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DNR Natural Areas Program ecologist Dave Wilderman teaches students to survey species in a plot at the Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve. Photo: DNR

Because conditions have improved on roads in the Littlerock area, DNR’s Natural Areas Program will hold the public hearing as scheduled to receive testimony on the proposed boundary expansion for Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve (NAP). Here is a map of the proposal.

People are asked to gather at 7:00 p.m., tomorrow, January 25, 2012, at the Littlerock Fire Station, 10928 Littlerock Road, SW. Before the hearing begins, a brief review of the boundary proposal will be presented by program staff. Then, people will be able to testify regarding the proposal to expand the Mima Mounds NAP boundary. 

As is customary for natural areas, privately-owned land within the proposed boundary would be purchased from willing sellers for natural areas management. In this case, one private landowner owns the roughly 100-acre parcel and is supportive of this proposal. Lands purchased within the boundary would be managed by DNR as part of Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve.

If you can’t get to the public hearing you can still offer your comments by 5:00 p.m., February 10, 2012, to:

Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Pacific Cascade Region
ATTN: Mima Mounds Boundary Hearing
PO Box 280
Castle Rock WA 98611-0280

Or email comments to roberta.davenport@dnr.wa.gov with the subject line ‘Mima Mounds Boundary Hearing.’

After the hearing, the Program will submit boundary recommendations to the Commissioner of public Lands, who may accept, modify or reject the proposal. All comments received by DNR will be included for the Commissioner’s review.

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Take care when removing or pruning trees after a storm. Hiring the wrong contractor to do the job might prove expensive in the long run. Photo: DNR.

The recent winter storm in western Washington wreaked havoc on many landscape trees, but DNR advises caution in dealing with the aftermath of the storm.

Arborists will be in great demand for the next several weeks as property owners clean up after this storm. With this storm’s high winds and the rain-saturated soils, many healthy trees are affected. It is possible that the storm removed the weakest limbs from your trees and all you need to do now is make a clean pruning cut and clean up the debris.

Tips for dealing with tree service companies

Here are some tips for finding a tree service company to deal with downed or damaged trees from the aftermath of storms:

• Hire a company that is licensed, bonded, insured and employs International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborists. Although Washington requires tree service companies to register with the state, they are not required to follow proper pruning standards. They don’t even have to demonstrate knowledge of tree pruning to obtain a license.
• Look for an arborist whose name and company are familiar to your community, even if that means waiting longer for service.
• Beware of people who go door-to-door offering to prune trees or remove storm damage; their low prices could prove costly. Most reputable companies have business cards, truck signs, and even uniforms that represent a professional level of service.
• Ask for references, and take your time to select a reputable company. Avoid hiring anyone who will ‘top’ a tree.

The Oregon Department of Forestry shares several tips that can help you find out if your trees need first aid or if they can even be saved.

Beware of any contract that wants to top your trees. Topping – removing large branches and tops of trees – creates future hazards. A topped tree is much more likely to break in a storm than a tree that has a normal branch structure, says Sarah Foster, Urban and Community Forestry Program Manager.

Find ISA-certified arborists in your area on the website of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture.

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Map of the Snoqualmie Corridor Recreation planning area. Click on the map for a larger version.

Do you like to spend time in the hills, valleys, lakes, and streams along the Snoqualmie corridor? Did you know that DNR manages 53,000 acres of state trust lands and natural areas in the corridor? These lands include Mount Si, Tiger Mountain, Rattlesnake Mountain, Middle Fork Snoqualmie, and Raging River.

Would you like to play a role in developing a long-range vision for recreation on DNR-managed lands along the Snoqualmie corridor?

DNR is hosting an open house from 7 to 9 p.m., February 1, at the Snoqualmie Middle School, 9200 Railroad Ave. SE, Snoqualmie. You’ll have the opportunity to share your ideas about recreation in the area and learn why DNR is working with citizens, recreation groups, and other partners to develop a comprehensive recreation management plan for the area.

The public is an integral part of this planning process—we value your perspective. This open house is one of many ways to get involved.

If you can’t make the meeting, you can still be ‘in the know’ about the planning process. Sign up to get electronic updates delivered to your inbox. (Include the word “Subscribe” in the subject line.)

Look for an online survey soon!

For more information, contact Doug McClelland, 206-920-5907.

Read more.

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Heavy snow falls on the Olympia January 19. Photo: DNR/Jane Chavey.

All DNR offices and other work sites are scheduled to open Monday (January 23) for normal business hours, which are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at most locations. Storm-related power outages and electrical problems at the Natural Resources Building (NRB) and the Tumwater Compound (Compound) appear to have been resolved. DNR will resume normal operations at the NRB and the Compound Monday morning.

Changing weather conditions may affect DNR’s day to day operations, but not our ability to respond to emergencies

Landslides
Help provide location and damage information for landslides in Washington State. Click to report a Landslide

Storm Damaged Tree Resources
> Care tips and resources for post storm cleanups
> Good tree health improves survival odds
> Don’t top trees
> View storm damage photos on DNR’s Flickr site

Stay Connected
For updates check our blog Ear to the Ground and our Twitter feed at: @waDNR.

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Seedlings at DNR's Webster Forest Nursery survived a deep freeze last winter thanks to an ice coating applied intentionally to keep them at a survivable 32F degrees. Photo: DNR

Here are some articles from science periodicals for your DNR weekend reading:

Science Daily: Cold Winters Caused by Warmer Summers, Research Suggests
A group of scientists offers up a convincing explanation for the harsh winters recently experienced in the Northern hemisphere: increasing temperatures and melting ice in the Arctic regions creating more snowfall in the autumn months at lower latitudes.

Science Daily: Solutions for a Nitrogen-Soaked World
Nitrogen is  an essential nutrient but also a pollutant — both a byproduct of fossil fuel combustion and a fertilizer that feeds billions. Agriculture, industry and transportation have spread nitrogen liberally around the planet, say scientists, who argue for a systematic approach to managing the resource and its consequences.

Scientific American: Current Developments: Innovative Ideas on How to Make Electric Cars Cost-Efficient Take Shape
Expensive batteries and limited recharging stations are the big impediments to making electric-powered vehicles cost-competitive with non-hybrid internal combustion vehicles. New electricity pricing and distribution models may be needed to break the logjam.

environment360: China’s Reforestation Programs: Big Success or Just an Illusion?
China has undertaken ambitious reforestation initiatives that have increased its forest cover dramatically in the last decade. But scientists are now raising questions about just how effective these grand projects — many of them with non-native trees and little species diversity — will turn out to be.

Attention Readers:  Rain falling on last week’s heavy snowfall in Western Washington will raise the risks of landslides. Please report any landslides you see — first to 911 if there are injuries or property damage and then to DNR (even the small ones) for our database. Thanks to all who have contributed already. Here’s how to report a landslide to DNR.

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